Thailand Travel Guide Tour

Thi Lo Su Waterfall

The hidden giant

TAK PROVINCE. A weekend at Thi Lo Su may make you comehome drained of energy, but with piles of spectacular photos andfun memories.

Visitors must steel themselves right from the start. The ‘Sky Highway
1090’ winds from Mae Sot to Umphang through a mountainous regioninhabited by hill tribes. Its 1,219 sharp curves, zigzagging throughlush, forested landscapes, have churned many stomachs. After fourhours, visitors arrive in Umphang, the biggest district in Thailand,sharing a 180 km border with Myanmar. It used to be inhabited solelyby the Karen people, prior to Thais moving in from the North. Now, itis a hub of accommodation and tour operators organizing trips to themajestic Thi Lo Su Waterfall.

Thi Lo Su is beautiful in her many guises. During the rainy season,visitors will be awed by the sight of an endless line of mighty watercrashing down 300 m onto the rocks below. In the dry season, thegigantic waterfall spanning 500 m turns into numerous small cascadesseparated by mossed rocks and trees, making it appear as apatchwork of verdant gardens.

Thi Lo Su is the star of the Wildlife Sanctuary, but its sister waterfall,Thi Lo Cho, should not be missed. To fully explore the area, a three-daytour is recommended. A typical programme will combine rafting on theMae Klong River; visits to Thi Lo Su and Thi Lo Cho Falls; some trekking;and, upon request, stays in Karen villages, and total forest immersionvia elephant back. However, it should be noted that the likelihood ofseeing large animals during any of these activities is low. Also, trekkersshould bring mosquito repellant and antimalarial medication